


Beware of Ghosts

by Cactusing (jojo_cactus)



Series: Shapeshifters Universe [4]
Category: One Piece
Genre: F/M, M/M, Misunderstanding, i don't know what this is, pining?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-26
Updated: 2017-09-03
Packaged: 2018-12-20 03:35:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11912370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jojo_cactus/pseuds/Cactusing
Summary: “How many people have you slept with?” Zoro had asked once, when he was beginning to be grossly interested in other people’s sex lives but still young enough to be extra audacious with his words. The fox–Sanji was his name–had been mortified, slapping the back of Zoro’s head with an exasperated “oi!”.Law, then nineteen, had smirked his characteristic lopsided smile and answered: “at once?”*In which Law's past catches up with him





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> 1.Law here has a history of sleeping around and leaving loose ties. May appear irresponsible. I am sorry if this is not your cup of tea.
> 
> 2\. Luffy isn't in this chapter that much

A moment of truth: Trafalgar D. Water Law wasn’t built for relationships. He considered sentiments to be irrational and abhorred commitment. No, wait, scratch the last bit. It wasn’t that he had no respect for people who voluntarily and illogically chose to spend the rest of their lives with just one person. In the early hours of the morning when men are at their weakest, he could even possibly admit to himself that such dedication was not always utterly stupid. Usually, though, Law never did find any desire to commit to a single person at any given time. Even when they were in the midst of an intercourse.

“How many people have you slept with?” Zoro had asked once, when he was beginning to be grossly interested in other people’s sex lives but still young enough to be extra audacious with his words. The fox–Sanji was his name–had been mortified, slapping the back of Zoro’s head with an exasperated “oi!”.

Law, then nineteen, had smirked his characteristic lopsided smile and answered: “at once?”

He could still remember the way the fox had reddened to his tail and could not look at Law properly for the next few days. And the way Zoro’s face had clouded, his mouth forming the question, “But how is that possible…?” before Sanji kicked the young tiger in the shin and erupted one of their mini-wars. Law had watched them throw kicks and swings at one another, contemplating if he should let them know that he had merely been joking. He didn’t, because that would have been lying and lying to little kiddies wasn’t an adult thing to do.

The point being, Law liked sex. But he condemned the rest of the package. A quick exchange of bodily fluids on the velvet sofa in Corazon’s study? Sure. Holding hands and addressing each other by tender names in public? Hell no. Mankind disgusted him in general and he dreamt about the hellfire that swallows his fellow humans with pleasure at night. All things considered, though, Law had to admit his weakness for the warmth and sensual pleasures their mortal bodies offered.

Up till now, Law’s promiscuity had not been a problem–aside from the fact his conservative foster father threatened (in futile, because the man was too soft-hearted to actually get on with any threats) to marry him off now and then–and he had surfed from one flame to the next with ease. With the looks his parents had blessed him, finding a bedmate and being extraordinarily successful at it was almost natural to him. That he was a big cat, a guarantee of stamina, and a rare snow leopard probably helped as well.

Of course, not all of his bedmates were happy with being “used”, as they termed it, and Law occasionally suffered a repercussion or two. 

“Settling down isn’t all that horrible, you know,” Doflamingo had advised when Law returned to the flamingos’ palace with a black eye and a good chunk of hair missing from his tail. The young snow leopard’s latest conquest, whatever his/her name was, had been an especially fiery one.

“You only say that because you’ve gotten old and lazy to find new ones,” Law had grumbled ungratefully. His foster-uncle, to his surprise and secret relief, had only laughed.

“You’ll see, young Law,” the flamingo had said. “You’ll find someone. Or, in a not so fortunate scenario, but which would be of great entertainment to me, you’ll find that the past has caught up with you and then there’d be nowhere to turn.”

“What’s that even supposed to mean?” he remembered asking. “What past? I do this,” he had gestured to his eye and his sad tail, “so that there’s no past to catch me if it even exists in the first place.”

The flamingo had laughed even harder at that, that low, ominous laugh of his. Law remembered leaving without another word, probably to find a more docile lover.

Now, a few years forward, Law sort of, somewhat, reluctantly wished that he had listened to Doflamingo. Not the finding someone part, though that also proved to be true, but the making sure to squander the past so that it didn’t ever come anywhere close to him part. But he hadn’t, because a) he never thought he would fall in what resembled love and b) he never imagined the past could fuck his first attempt at a relationship in the form of an offspring.

That’s right.

Law was going to be a father.

Was already a father, judging by the message that reached the wolves a few days ago. Jewelry Bonney, a princess of the Eagles of South Blue, had allegedly given birth to a snow leopard.

An entire species of which had been wiped out approximately 16 years ago, with Law being the sole known survivor to date. There was no way he could deny the connection, not really, was there? Not to mention the fact he  _ had _ been in South Blue around ten months ago, attending a seminar on a newly proposed way of curing Amiudake poisoning. Where he had been entertained by the Eagles as a token of his old friendship with the princess. And where he and Bonney may or may not have jumped in bed after a few bottles of wine.

So, a correction: Law was now supposedly (but most likely) a father of few days, though he had yet to meet his child. According to Kid, who broke the news to the wolves in the angriest invitation yet to be written in history ( _ fucking fly here sail here I don’t give a fuck just get your goddamned motherfucking whore of an ass here or I swear it’s war) _ , Bonney had not yet officially named Law as the father. She had, again according to Kid, apparently told her new fiance of eight months that the child’s father was no fucking business of his. The bear knew about her pregnancy, knew she wouldn’t tell him who the father was, and he had still wanted to marry her. He had even given her word that he wouldn’t kick up a fuss when the child was eventually born, although it could have been an eagle like its mother (Law so, so wished it had been born an eagle).

“It’s not your fault,” Bonney now told him over dendenmushi, then promptly yelled at Kid to  _ would you please get the fuck out of here so I can have a decent conversation with Trafalgar for once _ .

“Believe me, I know it’s not,” Law muttered under his breath, massaging his swollen jaw. After a round of physical and verbal abuse from Ace and Garp, the snow leopard had been allowed to board the ship Kid had kindly sent him to depart for South Blue. He looked over at his shoulder, where Ace was smothering Law’s fur hat while looking menacingly at him, then found Luffy sitting cross-legged on the figurehead. The young wolf had his back to Law, looking out to the sea.

Luffy.

A cold hand grabbed his heart at the sight of Luffy – they hadn’t talked to each other since the messenger arrived that morning. Before the red-sealed letter broke all hell loose in the Great Hall of the wolves, Luffy and he had been breakfasting on each other in the wolf’s room. Ace was the first one to get there, of course he was, and to deafen Law for a good minute with his curses. Then followed his cousins, or who had been in the area anyway, all taking turns to taunt the leopard. It was one of those rare moments when Law seriously feared for his life, though he refused to show it.

Luffy had been quiet throughout the whole ordeal, only raising a hand to stop Garp from readying the gallows for Law’s public execution.

“They sent a ship with the messenger,” he had said calmly. “Torao will go. I will go, too.”

“You will NOT,” Ace had growled. “You aren’t to have anything to do with that scum anymore, Luffy. I forbid you.”

The brothers had then locked each other in an excruciatingly long glare contest. Both Ace and Luffy would have known from the start, though, that the older brother’s words meant little to the other. Luffy always did what he wanted and Ace, for all his ludicrous protectiveness, didn’t want to control his baby brother’s life. With Law he may have wanted to make an exception but well, Luffy would have refused his refusal to accept the leopard in the end.

When Ace backed down, and when the wolves practically threw Law onto the ship, Luffy followed quietly. Once the ship set sail he resumed his usual self, skipping about and pestering the kitchen for snacks, but he otherwise left Law alone. Or didn’t want to come near him. As much as it hurt, Law couldn’t blame him. He couldn’t even understand why Luffy had wanted to come, although the young wolf could be wanting to see Kid tear his limbs apart. Whatever the reason, a full hour rarely went without Luffy wrapping himself around Law – and it was now five hours since he last came within two feet of the leopard.

“You’re a real asshole, you know that?”

Bonney’s voice, laced with a chuckle, brought Law’s attention back to dendenmushi. Turning his back away from the figurehead, he didn’t see the tips of Luffy’s ears twitching in his direction.

“I thought we’d established that long ago,” answered Law humourlessly. “I can’t believe this is happening to me.”

“Seriously? I’m the one who’s had to carry a growing weight on my bladder for ten months?” Bonney snorted.

“You were saying it wasn’t my fault.”

“I’m beginning to think your public execution will do just well for my baby’s welcoming party.”

Kid shouted something indistinctive on the other side of the dendenmushi, something that sounded like,  _ I will eat his heart still beating! _

“I  _ am _ sorry, I really am,” Law sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He wasn’t one to have regrets, regrets seldom improved reality, but he really, really regretted that he’d been an idiot. Drinking more than he knew he should have. Taking an old friend to bed when he knew Kid had been smitten with her for a long time. Thinking he would never fall in love. Thinking he could do whatever he pleased with people, thinking there’d be no consequences. Rubbing his eyes, Law swallowed hard. “How are you not mad at me?”

“Well, you could be sailing to find our army at the port,” Bonney pointed out, followed by Kid’s  _ I will be there personally! _

“I am very aware. But really.”

“Look, I didn’t know it was you, either,” she admitted. “I’m still having a hard time believing it. I thought … never mind, that’s not important. I did know you’ve been trying to settle with this Luffy kid, so I’m sorry this put a stop to it.”

“I…” Law opened his mouth and closed it. Then he opened it to speak again. “Don’t make it sound like the child’s coming was a bad thing. This was my own doing. If Luffy-ya leaves me, that’ll also be on my part. I should be the one apologizing, I know you care for Kid.”

There was a silence on the other end. Law shook the dendenmushi a little. “Bonney?”

“Haha, sorry,” came the reply. “Never thought I’d hear you sincerely apologize is all.”

He groaned. He knew he could be despicable in some ways, but it had to be really bad when even one of his oldest friends doubted his capability to display empathy.

“As for Kid, I’m not too worried,” Bonney added lightly. “He’s already taken to the kid, you know? Glued to the crib when he’s not complaining about you.”

“Which is all the time,” he retorted unhappily.

“No, you silly kitty. Kid’s angry and jealous, but he’ll be fine. Now go, I need a nap.”

Law stared at the silent dendenmushi, then let it fall into his pocket. When he turned to the figurehead, the teen wolf was no longer there. A gust of wind rushed past him. He shuddered. Having grown up in the snowy mountains he was immune to most cold, but days and nights with Luffy’s warmth on his side had spoilt him. With a heavy sigh, Law collected his coat about him and walked to his quarters inside.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Am I the only one in this room who hasn’t fucked Trafalgar fucking Law?” Ace erupted, waving an accusatory hand in said leopard’s direction.
> 
> Zoro’s hand shot through the air. 
> 
> “What? I’m his cousin!” he protested when Sanji punched him in the side.
> 
> “That was a rhetorical question, you dumbfuck!” Sanji shouted.
> 
> “Well how am I supposed to know that, nearly half the people at this table did sleep with him.” Ladies and gentleman, his own cousin.
> 
> “Shishishi!” Luffy clapped his hands, laughing, “You guys are funny!”
> 
> Karma, Law decided, fucking hated him.

Law woke up cold, stiff, and most importantly of all, alone.

 

Not that he had expected anything different. On the contrary to what Ace liked to make of him, Law was not so morally impaired as to invite Luffy to bed with him under the given circumstances. But an empty bed had never felt so … _alien_. Staring up at the dim ceiling, he realized with a start that this was the first time in forever to have woken up without a warm body next to him. Well, a few months, to be precise. All right, two. Two months was long enough for Law; he just never went to bed alone. Unless he was ill. Or unless he was so revolted by a fellow human being that he feared a liaison would result in blood. Even just a cuddle and minus the sex was fine. But he digresses.

 

What mattered was that Luffy had never left his side since the day of their reunion at Garp’s mansion several (two) months prior. Not even when Ace had made it his life's mission to quarantine Law from Luffy and conjured all means to do so, including locking the leopard behind three sets of iron doors and chained to the wall. Luffy was Luffy and he invariably managed to crawl his way back to his lover.

 

_Lover._ Law slightly cringed at the word inside his head. Were Luffy and he lovers? _Had_ they been lovers, now that their relationship had essentially been sentenced to death? They had never talked about it, never made announcements (despite the wolves’ persistent and quite truthfully pitiful pleas for _an engagement in the very least, Luffy, if it_ has _to be a cat like him we’d rather that you’re respectfully married)_. Luffy seemed nonchalant about what the others thought of him. And of him and Law together, though the latter had begun to hope their relationship would be recognized as a lasting bond rather than an infatuation sometime in the future.

 

But that wasn’t going to happen now, was it? It couldn’t. Luffy must be disappointed – actually, Law didn’t know what Luffy _thought_. Was Luffy angry at him for having a child with another person, albeit unintended? He had every right to be angry and disappointed, Law knew, but the teen simply hadn’t shown anything. Maybe Luffy regarded whatever they had as a fling, just like the leopard had done with his previous bed partners, and didn’t care about the child thing or about Law to spare him emotions. Then again, why had Luffy boarded the ship with him? Why was he going to South Blue if he didn’t care? A full day had passed since they departed Port Fuscha, and the wolf hadn’t come to talk to him, to enquire, or to see him. It was two more days of sailing and a half day of riding to the Eagles’ nest and Law very much doubted if the other would approach him before they journey concluded.

 

“Shit,” he muttered under his breath – what had Luffy done to him? He missed the little ball of energy in a way he didn’t think would have been possible for a certain Trafalgar Law.

 

He missed Luffy’s laugh, so carefree and full, light but never condescending, always bubbling from his belly all the way up to that messy raven hair. He missed the way Luffy’s very presence seemed to brighten the room by a few shades, regardless of where he was. He missed the way Luffy ate, using both his hands to literally stuff his mouth, resembling a chipmunk rather than a dignified wolf whose blood he had inherited. He missed the way Luffy would never sit still, even when he slept. Many times Law had woken up in the dark of the night with a set of claws grazing his cheek.

 

And he missed the way Luffy _cared_ for him. That the wolf would offer to share his meat with Law. That Luffy, so intent on loving all the food on the table down to their plates, would bring himself to use just one hand so he could hold Law’s hand with the other ( _I also happen to need both of my hands to eat,_ the leopard had said, dropping Luffy’s hand. Now Law wished he hadn’t been so haughty).

 

That Law was missing non-sexual sides of Luffy was very bad, because that could only mean one thing which shall not be named.

 

Groaning, Law rolled on his side and attempted to sit up, only to tangle his feet in the sheets and fell face down to the wooden floor. He felt his tail blow twice its normal size - and was glad Luffy wasn't in the room with him for a change. Here was one less dumb thing the wolf could tease him about ( _To-ra-oooo! You're too funny! Aren’t cats supposed to be balanced and all?)._

 

* * *

 

When he finally managed to liberate his feet from the unforgiving sheets (they were beginning to feel like assassins hired by Ace), Law stood numbly and walked to the opening in the wall that was the window. The sun was dipping the sea in orange and yellow. Reflecting flashes of diamond off its surface, the ocean looked neither calm nor turbulent. It was going to be a good day to sail.

 

“It is a good morning, my lord,” the guard greeted him politely. Law nodded back, keeping a straight face as though he hadn't just suffered a most ridiculous fall. His thoughts wandered back to the night before. At first he had been reluctant to accept Killer’s offer to station guards outside his chamber – it wasn’t like he was going to run off if that’s what they were worried about. He gave his word, didn’t he?

 

“I beg you to forgive my impertinence,” Kid’s right-hand man had answered slowly. “But I took the liberty to imagine it the sensible thing to do considering your … slight disagreements with the wolves.”

 

How considerate. Law still had yet to figure out what the burly man had done to earn the nickname “Killer”, because by Jove, he was easily the most gentle person in the entirety of the Four Seas. Sure, he looked like he could snap your neck with one hand, but Kid was usually the one on a murderous rampage and not him.

 

But “slight disagreements”, now. More like treason, judging from the way the wolves were treating him, though Law had never sworn any form of allegiance to them (or to anyone, for that matter). The leopard was frankly surprised Ace didn’t show up last night with murder on his freckled mind. Maybe everyone on the ship was so darn set on giving Law a public execution that they gladly forfeited their sweet little revenge.

 

Well, whatever was going through their minds, Law was too tired to care. He strutted to the dining hall, his eyes fixed ahead of him, refusing to spare a glance at the wolves in the corridor as he went. Blatant glares pricked his skin, and he could smell the heat in the air, but so what. Underlings as they were, they sure weren't worth his noble time. With a single graceful stride, Law entered the empty dining hall.

 

If he had to pick something to be grateful about Doflamingo, it had to be the way his foster uncle taught him to dress fabulously at all times and especially in the company of enemies. _The idiots would see that their insignificant little asses have no impact on your person whatsoever_ , Law could hear the flamingo’s voice as he sat down at the table and accepted a cup of fresh coffee from the servant, _and if they happen to resort to violence, you would at least die beautifully_.

 

Obviously, he was doing his utmost to avoid the second part, but the lesson was otherwise appreciated. The freshly laundered coat smelled nice, its blue ever deep as that of the ocean on a clear day, and the gold embroidery shone like the milky way with the slightest of his movement. Buttons were purposefully left undone to reveal a spotless white shirt, which was modestly tucked under a black belt and a pair of bluish-gray trousers. Both the shirt and the trousers were of the latest cut from Dressrosa, thanks to Corazon, and his black boots, with blood red embroidery on their necks, were of the best Alabastan leather. If Ace decided to stick a hot rod in the leopard’s back today, then Law could confidently say he was satisfied with his coffin couture. Giving his tail a sassy flick for a measure, he leisurely sipped his coffee. Ah, the lovely tang of the darkest souls. His brain hummed in ecstasy.

 

“My lord,” the same servant from before approached him humbly, taking care not to meet his eyes directly. The wolves must have abused Law thoroughly because the leopard was close to finding the ingratiating manner of the servants on this ship endearing.

 

He hummed in acknowledgment and took another sip of his coffee. It was a good thing that he had years of practice keeping a straight face, because what came out of the other’s mouth almost made him choke.

 

“His Highness the Prince of Kuraigana wishes to gain your audience after you have finished breakfasting,” the young man, probably not much older than Law, was saying.

 

Law stared.

 

The _who_ now?

 

“His Highness is here?” he inquired calmly, rolling his cousin’s royal title on his tongue.

 

“Yes, my lord,” the servant explained. “the royal entourage arrived a few hours past midnight. You had already retired to bed, and His Highness did not wish to wake you. Instead, he asked to see you in the morning.”

 

“Of course he did,” said Law, almost to himself. A thought occurred to him. Neither Luffy or Ace was in the dining hall, though he was certainly an early riser. But if his cousin were here… “I presume their lordships are to dine with His Highness?”

 

Again the servant answered in positive. Law wasn't sure whether he was relieved or hurt at the news. Luffy eating over at Zoro’s, on one hand, saved him from an awkward breakfast, not to mention an absent Ace carving death threats into his skull with that scowl of the wolf’s. On the other hand, Luffy was always keen on dragging Law to eat with all his friends, insisting illogically - but of course, it made sense when Luffy said it - that more was definitely merrier. He supposed his company no longer added to the merriment now. At least Zoro was still willing to talk to him.

 

Leaving his porridge barely untouched, Law rose from his chair. The servant, who had been waiting by the door, hurried to his side.

 

“Where is this audience to take place?” he asked. “I would hardly think my personal chamber appropriate for a person of his status.”

 

“The captain’s study has been prepared,” was the reply.

 

Killer sure knew how to do his job, didn’t he? Law was impressed. He didn’t sail much himself, only when his fancies took it, but he did have a submarine to his name and a decent crew. Whether they would be sensible enough to make such arrangements under similar circumstances, though, he couldn’t be sure of (Bepo and the lot would argue otherwise, _we are perfectly capable of entertaining any royal asses, thank you very much_. Then Law would have to remind them that they offered Zoro sake in Penguin’s hat because they couldn’t find a clean container the last time he brought over guests). The thought of them made him all sentimental again. And alone. This was his own doing, he kept telling himself, but Law could use some moral support.

  


* * *

 

Had Law mentioned he hated people?

 

Most who went within two feet of the leopard discovered that soon enough, rancorous and blunt as he was. Conversations were by definition banal, and seven out of ten Law ended up either threatening to sew the other’s lips together if they didn’t stop blabbering or jumping off the window to feign his death (the perks of being a cat). With Luffy, well, it was normally better, but more frustrating at times because the teen never seemed to take anything Law said seriously. He was always laughing and joking, asking for kisses or food, or singing obnoxiously loud in Law’s ears in a way that was somehow … lovable.

 

_I’m doing it again_ , Law slapped himself internally and instead focused back on the sturdy wooden door before him. It was the captain’s study. He’d been standing here for the past minute or two, harbouring conflicted feelings because:

 

“Ow! That _hurt_ , you asshole!” said a voice from inside.

 

“What? I only bit you,” said another.

 

“Remember you have fangs? I keep telling you, biting feels good with normal human teeth, not with your canine fangs.”

 

“Isn’t that because you’re a sissy, eyebrow?”

 

“OR BECAUSE YOU’RE A MUSCLEHEAD WHO KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT SEX!”

 

The last remark was followed by a smacking sound, a thud, a bit of what sounded like bodies grappling against furniture, then to Law’s ever-growing hate of mankind, moans.

 

“What if they can hear us,” the first voice said, smaller this time.

 

“Doubt it, the guards are ordinary.”

 

_But I can hear you perfectly well_ , Law thought. _And I am pretty sure these poor men can hear you fine, too, judging by their faces_.

 

“Little shits,” he muttered under his breath, drawing a quick, nervous look from one of the guards posted to the study. If it had been another day, Law would have played the generous older cousin and walked out to enjoy some fresh sea air. But Zoro had summoned him, and Law was feeling extra gritty after a night spent alone to bless someone else’s love business.

 

So he tapped on the door, each sharp and staccato with his knuckles, and listened to gasps and yelps inside with a devilish grin on his face.

 

After a thud and clicking noises, Zoro called: “Come in.”

 

Law entered smugly. There they were, his royal cousin and the Baratian fox. Both looked disheveled, with half of Zoro’s shirt untucked out of his belt and Sanji’s shoe having somehow ended up in the other’s hands. Sanji’s eyes followed Law’s to the misplaced shoe and he grabbed with a strangled sound. His grin widening, Law began to say, “Enjoying--”

 

“Man, you look like shit,” Zoro interrupted. He looked genuinely concerned.

 

Law scowled back at him, a silent _How dare you_ . And also a _fuck you_.

 

“You look like a walking corpse, like right out of the coffin,” his cousin, in the meanwhile, was saying. “You know how they dress up a dead body all nice? Like that.”

 

“Thank you for your observations, they are very astute,” he replied dryly. “You speak as eloquently as ever, dear cousin.”

 

Zoro shrugged. They were cousins, who cared how they spoke as long as his words made sense?

 

The blonde fox sighed and gently elbowed Zoro in his side. “The man’s merely sleep-deprived, marimo,” he said. Law would have nodded in gratitude had the fox not added, “but he does look worse than usual.”

 

“I feel _fine_ ,” he said definitively and took a stride towards them. Zoro and Sanji followed him when he settled himself in the armchair.

 

A delicious smell was radiating off the fox and Law couldn’t help twitching his ears in anticipation. Sanji must have sensed it because he took out a moderate sized box from behind his back.

 

“I reckoned you’d only breakfast on coffee, as per usual,” he said, sliding the bento towards Law on the mahogany table. “So brought some food over.”

 

“Much appreciated,” Law took it gingerly. Although he could never say he adored the fox, not because Sanji was a horrible person but because he was a dog, the man was one of the best cooks Law knew of. With an approving look from the two of them, he opened the bento and began making his way through its content.

 

“So,” Zoro offered after a few moments had passed.

 

“So,” Law repeated, taking a forkful of mashed potato.

 

“We brought the _Thousand Sunny_.”

 

Law raised an eyebrow. The _Thousand Sunny_ was the ship Luffy and his closest circle of friends sailed in. Built by a certain cyborg from Water Seven, it was everything Luffy loved in a ship and more: a friendly lion for the figurehead, a green area, a garden of mikan trees, and even an aquarium. Law preferred his submarine any given time, but Sunny was all right.

 

“So the entire crew is here?” he asked. Luffy’s crew did go everywhere together, after all.

 

“Except Robin-chan and Franky,” answered Sanji in the sorriest voice. “their pups have the flu.”

 

“And how’s sailing without the shipwright been?” he inquired again curiously. The flu had been particularly severe that year and he supposed Robin and her husband would be worried as parents were bound to be, and also because their children were among the last of the Baratian foxes. Still, the _Thousand Sunny_ had seemed like a delicate creature.

 

Zoro and Sanji only shrugged. “We all know how to patch up a ship, if necessary,” they said in more or less the same words. “And we didn’t have a shipwright before Franky came by, remember?”

 

He nodded. Pushing his now-empty bento aside, he leaned against the back of his chair. “So you’re sailing without the shipwright and the archaeologist, but you’re otherwise all here. Anything else you’d like to enlighten me of?”

 

“Well,” Zoro began after some deliberation. “We were thinking of having Luffy and Ace sail with us for the rest of the journey. Ace can be quite a handful, and we reckoned you’d be more comfortable by yourself.”

 

Having Ace off his back would certainly be nice. But that also meant the chance of him seeing Luffy would be slimmer.

 

“That’d be for the best,” he heard himself say. “Though you hardly need my permission, do you?”

 

“True. This was more of an announcement, anyway. Wouldn’t have wanted you to find we’d abducted the wolves all of a sudden,” Sanji contributed. He collected the empty bento, wrapping it in a bright red fabric.

 

Law hummed. Half of him wanted to ask after Luffy. Was he eating fine? Which he probably did, one could always count on Luffy to bring the whole house down with that eating habit of his, but sometimes he wondered. Had the wolf said anything about Law? What did he think of the other now? Was he angry? Was he sad? Or did he not care? But half of Law was also terribly obstinate and proud; if Luffy had anything to say of him, then he shouldn’t have to hear it from other people. So he sat, his lips in a thin line, absentmindedly listening to Zoro and Sanji exchange a few banters.

 

Then Zoro’s voice brought him back, loud, a bit rough, and awakening as always. “Are you going to talk to Luffy or not?” the tiger demanded.

 

“About?” Law secretly applauded himself for maintaining his poise. He sensed Sanji roll his eyes.

 

“About-- _this--_ mess!” Zoro waved his palms. “Luffy didn’t put me up to this, so don’t get me wrong. But from what I could gather, I don’t think you’ve been kind to Luffy about this.”

 

Falling into silence once again, Law deliberated. Now that was a new perspective. Then again, he realized, he hadn’t really discussed the matter with anyone before this. His foster family called him over dendenmushi, of course, but their conversations had mostly focused on his stupidity (Baby 5, Dellinger), his seemingly innate attraction to political disasters (Doflamingo, Vergo), and what to do with his currently illegitimate child (Corazon).

 

And the last part dominated Law’s mind over the others. What was he to do with the child? He had to recognize the child, he supposed, as that was likely why Bonney and Kid wanted him over in South Blue in the first place. Whether or not he wished to raise the child was a different problem. For one, he didn’t want to, although that’d mean breaking Corazon’s heart. But even his blindingly loving foster father had to acknowledge Law would be a terrible caregiver. Bonney had the child with intent to raise it, and Kid was madly in love with her. The two would do fine, in Law’s opinion. Since the child was a rare snow leopard, however, he would probably have to be involved in some parts of the upbringing. Keeping the heritage alive and what not.

 

It was a strange thing, knowing that he wouldn’t be the last snow leopard. Knowing that he was no longer alone. Limited as his knowledge was on the history of the mountain-dwelling leopards, there were still so many things he could teach the child. Why their ancestors came to live in such a cold climate, for instance. Why their bodies took after both the white of the moon and the dark of the night, for another. And when he thought of the way his father had carried him on his back to the mountaintop, the land below immersed in a complete whiteness, Law could perhaps imagine a life as a parent.

 

He had thought about Luffy, heaven knows he had, but no, the teen hadn’t been in many of his futures.

 

“There just wasn’t an opportunity for us to talk,” he replied, feeling somehow that he was making an excuse. Zoro clearly thought so, because the tiger crossed his thick arms over the chest and leaned back with a scowl.

 

“We can give you that opportunity if you’d like,” Sanji, always the diplomat, answered. “I think… _we_ think Luffy deserves to know if you want him to be a part of your future.”

 

“Does it matter what I want?” he said bitterly. “My liabilities are not Luffy-ya’s liabilities. This future you speak of is inherently different from his and he won’t have any reasons to be a part of it.”

 

“Unless you ask him to,” the fox suggested.

 

“Why would I?”

 

“Why would you?” Zoro shot back. “Law, I thought you cared about Luffy. But if you don’t and you don’t want to be together anymore, that’s fine, but why haven’t you told him? You can’t make him tag behind you like this.”

 

“Why does everyone seem to think I’m the one to drag him anywhere?” Law threw his hands in the air. He was _this_ close to his pulling his hair out. Any minute now. “You _know_ he doesn’t do what he doesn’t want to do. _He_ said he’d come! _I_ don’t know why, I never asked him to, to hell if I even had the time to talk to him with Ace-ya attempting murder on my ass every five seconds, _I_ don’t know what he’s thinking!”

 

His cousin and the fox were staring. Stupidly.

 

“He _never_ tells me shit!” he emphasised for the umpteenth time.

 

Great. If the guards hadn’t heard Zoro and Sanji’s lovemaking before, they for sure would have heard Law’s rant. He kicked himself in mind, harder than he had any previous times, and settled back against the back of his chair like a sullen child.

 

“I think,” Sanji breathed. “We have a severe case of miscommunication here.”

 

“Agreed,” Zoro mused, standing up. His lover followed.

 

Stuffing his shaking hands back in his coat pockets, Law looked up at them in growing consternation. What were they babbling on about now? Were they living, leaving him like this?

 

“You need to figure out what you want,” the Baratian addressed Law when he reached the door. Fumbling about, he took a cigarette out of his breast pocket and lit it with a practiced elegance. “And don’t rely on Luffy to always make the first move, you know. He’s great with that, but he can’t commit himself if he can’t hear you.”

 

“I don’t know what this has to do with anything,” Law answered meekly, bent on having the last word. The pair left without speaking further. It made him feel minutely better. By a grain, really.

 

 

* * *

 

The wolves moved their luggage to the _Thousand Sunny_ just before midday. Law watched them from inside Killer’s study, who had granted the leopard an unlimited access, and pretended he didn’t really see them leave.

 

As Zoro and Sanji had kindly predicted, the rest of the journey was more than pleasant without Ace. Law could position himself comfortably beside the figurehead, looking out to the endless waters, and enjoy the cold winter breeze with tea and biscuits. When reading became rather a redundant activity, he could invite Killer to a game of chess. Without the wolves’ glares, the air on the ship felt much clearer, though without a certain wolf’s loud, innocuous laugh, it also felt sustained. Law told himself he’d get used to the silence soon, it wasn’t that different from his own submarine after all.

 

“Have you thought of a name?” Bonney asked him over dendenmushi when the tip of the Eagles’ nest came into view.

 

“Am I expected to?” he asked back, nearly dropping the book in his hand.

 

“No, just Kid and I are stumped,” came to casual reply and he relaxed. “We won’t name it until you’re here, though. It’ll happen after the recognition ceremony.”

 

He nodded, mostly to himself. Recognition ceremonies were of rarities now, as parents tended to know the child was theirs with greater confidence and didn’t want to spend resources on a ceremony when it’d be followed by baptism soon. Law and Bonney’s child presented a delicate case, however, as one parent hadn’t been present at the time of its birth. Not to mention that not even the mother had expected it to be a snow leopard and that she was to wed a different man. Bonney hadn’t officially recognized it either and was waiting for Law.

 

The old men at the Church were probably pissed, which made Law feel slightly smug – because who gave two shits about their atavistic customs? If it meant giving those snobby bunch a stroke or two, maybe he could begin to include children-out-of-wedlock on his agenda.

 

“How’s Luffy kid doing?” Bonney spoke again and Law dropped his book this time.

 

“I cannot see why you would be so interested,” he answered tartly.

 

“HELLO? Because you’ve never let anyone stick around you for that long is why, ungrateful kitty. Or no one has been able to stand you for long.”

 

“It’s complicated.”

 

“I’m sure it is,” she snorted. “If he’s being difficult...tell him it’s no big deal, okay? You don’t have to do anything for this kid, just recognize it so the Church will get off our back.”

 

“Bonney, I…,” he hesitated “What if I want it to be a big deal? What if I want to raise it as my own. Are you against it? I know it sounds highly unlike me, but it is…”

 

There was a humming at the other side of the line. Law kicked at the carpet. He didn’t know what he was saying, didn’t know what he wanted. It was something he wanted a bit, something he thought could work, perhaps… At least thinking about the child allowed him to not think about Luffy.

 

“I’m sure we can work something out,” said Bonney. “Yes, I’m sure we can. And it’d be nicer if it gets to learn where it’s from, after all. The kid’s gonna have a hard time growing up among birds and bears.”

 

“Birds raised me and I turned out fine,” he offered as a consolation.

 

Bonney laughed for two minutes straight. Law briefly wished he hadn’t been stupid enough to have a child with Bonney, because he couldn’t very well cuss at its mother, right? Not like they used to when they were young, anyway.

 

“Trafalgar, are you developing _a sense of humour_?” she sniffed in the midst of what sounded like tissue paper rubbing against something. “I hope it doesn’t take after you that much, can’t have it running around and knocking up some random princess, can I!”

  


* * *

 

Law must be dreaming.

 

He had to be, because there was no way Luffy could be jumping on him right now, snaking his lean arms around Law’s neck and claiming his lips in a whole. It felt so real, Luffy’s slightly chapped lips rubbing against his own, then a hot, wet tongue boldly intruding into his mouth. Law moaned into the kiss, his own hands desperately grabbing at the firm waist. Pulling back, he buried his nose in the teen’s nape and breathed in the salty scent of the sea. Blood was rushing to his head and suddenly there were drums on all sides of him. He embraced the small body tightly, lest the dream ended and he was plunged back to the cold reality.

 

But he didn’t wake up.

 

Law opened his eyes slowly, one by one, and looked down at the wolf in his arms. That Luffy was endlessly muttering something while tugging the buttons on Law’s shirt with his teeth helped him in the least. Swallowing air in a quick gulp, Law pushed the other away and held him at an arm’s length.

 

“Sorry! I’m sorry!” Luffy was saying. “I know I shouldn’t have! But I missed you!”

 

“What…” was about all he could conjure up to say.

 

“I missed you, Torao. Ace said I should leave you alone, everyone said you needed time to think, but I can’t… I couldn’t stop when I smelled you.”

 

“I don’t understand a word you’re saying, Luffy-ya.”

 

He pulled back entirely and backed uncertainly until his back touched the wall. It wasn’t wooden like in the ship, instead covered in grayish green wallpaper that was adorned with lilies and swirling patterns. _That’s right_ , he remembered. This was inside the Eagles’ nest, one of its towers. Law had arrived a few hours prior, just after the sun had set, and had been directed to here to spend the night. The recognition ceremony was to take tomorrow, after breakfast. Where the others had been housed, he had no idea.

 

“How did you know I was here?” he asked, desperate to focus anywhere but Luffy’s lips. The teen looked desperate on his part, too, pulling at his tunic with both hands, and pouting as he hung on to every word Law uttered.

 

“I followed you. I can pick up your smell anywhere, remember?” Luffy was happy to supply answers, only to clap his hand over his mouth right away. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I just wanted to see you so badly. I haven’t smelled you for _days_ , Torao.”

 

“But… why?” Law felt dizzy and that was a rare occurrence. What was going on? He had replayed how his meeting with Luffy would go multiple times in his head and had never expected this. Could have been a punch, he could have sworn that was a family trait after Garp and Ace, or he could have been met with a cold shoulder. A blinding kiss in the dark, he had not even dreamed of.

 

“I...missed you,” the wolf said, slower this time. “Didn’t you miss me, Torao?”

 

The last bit sounded...afraid. Law blinked. What was it Luffy had said? Why did he sound so uncertain? Surely he had every reason to be confident in whatever he did.

 

When the realization struck him, Law felt himself before his thought. He reached out and pulled the teen back into an embrace.

 

“Of course I missed you, Luffy-ya. You have no idea,” he sighed into the ears.

 

“I’m so glad!” the bubbliness was back in the voice, though softer than his usual tone. “I thought you didn’t want to see me anymore.”

 

“Why would you ever think that? _I_ imagined you wouldn’t want to see me, Luffy-ya.”

 

“If it’s about the baby, I don’t know why everyone makes a big deal out of it. I don’t care,” Luffy said in a suddenly earnest voice. Law stared, taken aback.

 

“I _didn’t_ care,” the wolf corrected himself, his ears drooping down a little. “I thought, if it’s something that had happened in the past, it didn’t matter because Torao was with me. But on the ship… you were always on dendenmushi with the eagle, I wasn’t sure if you wanted to talk about… us. Wanted us to be us.

 

“Nami told me you used to be the only snow leopard before this baby. I can’t imagine what it’d be like without Garp and Ace and everybody else, I don’t know how lonely you’ve been. But I think I understand how important the baby is to you. So you want to stay with it, and that’s all right.

 

“But I had to kiss you because… I just had to. I’m sorry about that.”

 

If Law could go back in time, he would slap his past self so hard that he never dared to leave Luffy alone. Ever. He couldn’t remember what he had been afraid of, anyway. Only how dense he had been. And cowardly, even after Zoro and Sanji had been kind enough to steer him in the right direction.

 

“I can’t believe I made you come to me again,” he muttered. The wolf twitched his ears and he said louder, “What I meant to say is, I am sorry, too.”

 

Luffy’s hands were tiny in his. They felt much warmer, though, and somehow bigger. He lowered his head, resting his forehead against Luffy’s, and exhaled slowly.

 

“This has all been my fault, Luffy-ya, and I should be the one apologizing,” he began. “I assumed you’d talk to me if you wanted to because that has been your way from the beginning, but that was selfish of me. I’m sorry I expected you to solve my problems. I’m sorry I let it happen as well.”

 

“I don’t understand what you’re saying, either, Torao,” Luffy sniffed, sounding like he was holding back a sneeze. “Just tell me what the problem is and I’ll solve it.”

 

“You can’t do that all the time,” he chuckled. “I don’t think Sanji-ya will be happy about that.”

 

“I don’t care, I’m the captain.”

 

“You’re impossible.”

 

“I know. Torao, you need to tell me what the problem is. Tell me what you want.”

 

Was he nervous? Slightly. Law had never gotten to this part of the simulation. But it was happening now, and he supposed he should have accepted that it was going to be this way with Luffy a long time ago.

 

“Tomorrow, I recognize the child as mine,” he explained further. “Bonney and Kid and I, the three of us will be working together to raise it, although the child will stay here with them most of the time. I will spend greater time here as well and take the child to Drum when it’s old enough to travel, so it grows up knowing snow. What I hope to install in it… Luffy-ya, I want to raise a snow leopard. This means I’ll be living a very different life from now on and I’ll eventually become a different person. It may not take that long. But what I want of you this moment...

 

“Would you stay with me?”

 

Law honestly doesn’t know what he should have expected. A voice in his head said he couldn’t have both, _how are you going to find the balance? You’ve never been very responsible_.

 

Whatever else the voice said, though, obviously never occurred to Luffy – because the wolf, shooting his hands in the air before jumping on his body, always had a remarkable habit of making all his problems go away.

 

“OF COURSE I WILL!” the big dog vibrated, lapping his nose. Law was glad he was positioned against the wall, otherwise they both would have fallen backward.

 

“I can’t believe I worried myself sick for an answer that took less than a second to deliberate,” he sighed with a smile. Luffy grinned an even bigger smile at that.

 

“That’s because you think too much, Torao,” the teen said sagely. “And too much thinking makes you dumb.”

 

Instead of retorting, Law decided to kiss the other. They stumbled over an unpacked suitcase as they made their way to bed, but that could wait. So could dinner, though Law suspected Luffy had grabbed a bite before sauntering his way to him. Whatever, everything could wait. He had no complaints for once.

  


* * *

 

Law woke up to find himself basking under sunlight, his feet tangled (again) in the sheets, and an extra pair of limbs tying him down to the bed. Turning his head to a side, he found the owners of said limbs sleeping with all his might as he usually did. Seeing Luffy asleep never ceased to be a fascinating pastime – every muscle in his small face relaxed into a blissful sleep, one not even cannon fire could awaken. The allure of food, however, was the only exception, which Law now waved a slice of beef jerky under the teen’s nose. Half his body was falling into limbo at this rate, and the leopard badly needed breakfast to make up for the dinner he missed last night.

 

As expected, Luffy shut his eyes open and devoured the jerky in one ago. He was up and about, ready to burst out of the room any given moment and would have done so had Law not halted him with a tunic and a pair of trousers in his hands.

 

“You can’t go down there naked, Luffy-ya,” he reasoned.

 

“I _can_ , but I won’t because Ace and Nami get mad,” Luffy acquiesced, taking the clothing from the leopard.

 

They entered the dining room together, drawing the eyes on them. Law nodded at Killer, then exchanged quick hellos with Luffy’s crew, purposefully averting Ace’s gaze. He was surprised to find a few familiar faces there, including Cavendish and Basil Hawkins. But of course, they were old acquaintances of Bonney and Kid as well.

 

“Where are Bonney and Kid?” he asked to no one in particular.

 

It was Hawkins who answered, that they’d join them for the ceremony. They had been in the dining room earlier, apologizing for their inability to host at the moment.

 

“Aw, I wanted to meet them,” Luffy grumbled as he grabbed five morning rolls.

 

“Told you to wake up early,” Sanji chided mildly.

 

Small conversations sprouted here and there in the room. Nami, and Chopper were engaged in some sort of a book they’d been reading together, while Zoro and Hawkins seemed to be talking about a mutual friend. Luffy was throwing questions after questions at Killer, clearly impressed by the man’s mask (Law _noticed_ Luffy’s fascinations with masks and robots and what not, but never _understood_ them). Sanji and Usopp absorbed themselves over a recipe. Not wishing to resort to Ace, Law accepted a how do you do from Cavendish.

 

“Have you seen the child yet?” the blonde asked.

 

“No, I only arrived last night.”

 

“It’s hard to tell at this stage, whether it looks much like you. I did think you would’ve gone to see it the first thing, rather than rutting after a common dog,” Cavendish smirked, lending a sly glance at where Luffy sat. Law felt his jaw tighten. This dog-cat thing was centuries old, some people really needed to move on.

 

“I presume my nocturnal activities should concern you in the least, Sir Cavendish,” he replied tersely.

 

“Oh, what’s with the titles? I am certain you preferred a more… _common_ name the last time I saw you, hm?”

 

Law was briefly speechless. “Are you serious?” he demanded in a lower voice, he could feel Ace’s eyes on him. “You cannot be flirting with me hours before I recognize a child.”

 

“Don’t flatter yourself, Trafalgar,” Cavendish pouted, leaning on his elbow. “Your flirting is horrendous outside the bed.”

 

“Please, shut up.” _Goddammit,_ Ace was walking towards them.

 

“Come on, for old time’s sake? I heard dear Basil over there had a fantastic time with you.”

 

Killer coughed loudly, knocking a glass of sherry over the table. Judging by the others’ faces, except Luffy and Chopper, who now seemed to be engaged in a sort of thumb wrestle, the two of them had been the only ones conversing for a time.

 

“Am I the only one in this room who hasn’t fucked Trafalgar _fucking_ Law?” Ace erupted, waving an accusatory hand in said leopard’s direction.

 

Zoro’s hand shot through the air.

 

“What? I’m his cousin!” he protested when Sanji punched him in the side.

 

“That was a rhetorical question, you dumbfuck!” Sanji shouted.

 

“Well how am I supposed to know that, nearly half the people at this table did sleep with him.” Ladies and gentleman, his own cousin.

 

“ _Shishishi!”_ Luffy clapped his hands, laughing. “You guys are funny!”

 

Karma, Law decided, _fucking hated_ him.

 

His saviour arrives in the form of one Jewelry Bonney. She was followed by Kid, holding a small clothed bun in his hands. Luffy shot up, merrily chanting something about wanting to see a baby, but Nami pulled him down. 

 

"Torao should see it first," she said firmly.

 

Law, on his part, had never simultaneously dreaded and welcomed a moment like this.

 

"Did you sleep well?" Bonney asked, taking the child from Kid's hands. The bear looks surprisingly domestic next to her, only sending Law a customary glance and nothing more.

 

"I slept fine, thank you," he answered as he let Bonney place the child in his arms. It felt light, probably the lightest thing he had ever held and... warm. At a few days old, the cub more resembled a rat than a big cat, but Law couldn't bring himself to find fault in it anywhere.

 

"We're still thinking about names," Kid spoke for the first time, raising a careful finger to tab the cub on its nose. It wriggled a bit before shifting to lie on the other side.

 

Law kept his eyes fixated on the cub. It really was perfect, he could see it would grow to be a fine leopard. Yet... the more he looked at it, the more it felt as though something was odd. Perhaps it was because he was surrounded by all these other species other than a fellow leopard like him or perhaps it was because the cub had been in the care of the eagles and the bears since its birth, but it somehow did not smell  _like him_.

 

"Trafalgar?" he heard Kid ask, concerned now. "What's wrong?"

 

With a bolt, he snapped out of his trance and turned to the young couple, the child still in his hands. "We need to talk. In private," Law demanded.

 

"Er... all right?"

 

"Tony-ya, I might need your assistance," Law called before exiting the room. Chopper sat upright, his eyes blown to the size of the plates.

 

"Seriously, what's going on?" Bonney hurried after him, knitting her brows. "Is it okay? Do you think something's wrong?"

 

"It's in perfect health if I correctly guess the nature of your concern," he replied. They had retired to an alcove outside the dining room, just big enough for three adults and small Chopper to stand comfortably. Laying the child on the sofa, Law began to pace.

 

Kid was the first to break the silence. "Will you say what's on your mind, Trafalgar, it annoys me when you do that."

 

"I'm hesitant to say it because it will sound mad."

 

"I'm sure we've heard worse things from you. Go on."

 

Law looked at the cub again, then at Bonney. She was a bird in every sense, there was no doubt about it. His eyes glossed over Kid. Red-haired, accompanying fiery temper, and the impressive size fit for the mountainous bear. A distant relative of Law's own foster grandfather, Sengoku, though the other was known for to be more level-headed. The cub smelled of both, though Bonney's scent was stronger. That was normal, considering how much time the two spent with it. But for Law's scent to be this thin, to a point of nonexistence if his nose wasn't fooling him...

 

"I believe," he stated with clear diction. "the child isn't mine."


End file.
